Allen & Gledhill LLP is a go-to for big-ticket transactions throughout the region, benefitting from overseas offices in Myanmar and Vietnam, as well as associations with Malaysian and Indonesian firms. Lim Mei is a market leading name for M&A, equity capital market and derivatives matters who serves as practice co-head alongside Christian Chin , a specialist in general commercial contracts, venture capital, corporate restructuring and joint ventures; their team is also home to Andrew Lim, a key port of call for compliance, corporate governance and regulatory affairs, as well as Prawiro Widjaja , a lawyer with close ties to the Indonesian market. Christopher Koh is also integral to the offering, owing to his routine involvement in privatisation, public takeover and private investment in public equity transactions.
Corporate and M&A: local firms in Singapore
Allen & Gledhill LLP
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Andrew Lim; Prawiro Widjaja; Christopher Koh; Lee Kee Yeng; Christopher Ong; Hilary Low
Testimonials
‘Extremely strong in resolving intricate legal issues through a combination of (a) deep expertise and intellect of the partners involved, and (b) strong rapport with securities regulator.’
‘Lim Mei is among the most highly respected M&A legal advisers in the country, sitting at the very peak of the legal profession. Her advice is always accurate, complete and commercial in outlook. Clients have deep trust in her abilities. Lim Mei is accessible to clients and absolutely trustworthy.
‘Christopher Koh is valued for his tenacity, cogent advice, calmness under pressure, and patient demeanor.’
‘Great and seamless teamwork across the different disciplines led by the account partner, Richard Young. The team is very responsive and effective with practical advice.’
‘Richard Young provides practical legal advice, and does not shy away from providing out-of-the-box commercial considerations to guide the clients to reach win-win solutions and deals.’
‘A&G is the top corporate/ M&A firm in Singapore. They are held in high regard by the Exchange and Commission. Successful applications for rulings on exceptions have been obtained by them which greatly helped the transaction/ costs. They are fairly accurate on budget estimates unless due to protracted negotiations. The firm also ensures there are no commercial conflicts as they can China wall a full team.’
‘Christopher Koh. He is good at giving a holistic and clear view and readily understands the commercial priorities of the client. He has a professional negotiating style that gets him respected at the table and he is adept at handling different personalities with clear view of the objectives at hand. He gives good practical advice that is concise and usable.’
Work highlights
- Advised CapitaLand Limited, as transaction counsel, on the demerger of CapitaLand Investment Management Limited and subsequent take private by CLA Real Estate Holdings Pte. Ltd, the existing controlling shareholder of the CapitaLand, by way of a scheme of arrangement.
- Advised SCM, as transaction counsel, on its combination framework agreement with Bayberry Limited and Keppel Corporation Limited, pursuant to which the parties have agreed to take certain steps to effect the combination of the businesses of SCM and Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd, such that SCM and KOM will be held as wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Combined Entity.
- Advised SPH, as transaction counsel, on the S$3.8 billion privatisation offer by Keppel Pegasus Pte. Ltd. and the S$3.9 billion competing privatisation offer by Cuscaden Peak Pte. Ltd.
WongPartnership LLP
Though headquartered in Singapore, WongPartnership LLP also leverages a presence in Beijing, Shanghai and Yangon, in addition to affiliations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Manilla. The practice is co-led by Andrew Ang, a veteran of number cross-border M&A, corporate restructuring, privatisation and private equity investment deals, alongside Chan Sing Yee, a standout name on the joint venture, venture capital, corporate finance and general advisory fronts Elsewhere, Kyle Lee co-fronts the dedicated start-up/venture capital department and the team is also able to call upon managing partner, NG Wai King, a market veteran who has transacted an abundance of standout deals throughout his illustrious career. Soong Wen E is an up-and-coming partner who is increasingly involved in heavyweight M&A, both public and private, in addition to private equity-backed deals.
Practice head(s):
Andrew Ang; Chan Sing Yee
Other key lawyers:
Kyle Lee; NG Wai King; Mark Choy; Audrey Chng; Soong Wen E; Daniel Chui; Nicolette Lye
Testimonials
‘The M&A team are super responsive, provide comprehensive and commercial advice at a competitive price.’
‘WP is one of the most reliable, knowledgeable and commercial practices in the Singapore law scene. We collaborate well together with them and we have benefited from their valuable deal insights on each transaction that we advise on.’
‘Partners are proactive, approachable and bring with them plenty of deal experience garnered over the years. They are capable of providing the commercial considerations of the transaction through their advice.’
‘Kyle Lee provided us with sound and practical advice, guiding us as we navigated our first fundraising.’
‘They valued clients and will work through wee hours or rush through deadlines with clients’ in order to meet the needs of the clients. They never reject any request and will instead offer various solutions even if at the end of the day, it means they will not be the selected lawyer to act for the client.’
‘WongPartnership’s corporate/M&A teams are one of the finest and most savvy in the region and local markets. They have many partners each with different specialisations, and yet work very holistically to provide a seamless service for clients.’
Key clients
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Biofourmis Holdings Pte. Ltd.
CapitaLand Commercial Trust Management Limited
CLA Real Estate Holdings Pte. Ltd
DBS Bank Limited
Dynamic Technology Pte. Ltd.
EQT Partners Singapore Pte Ltd
ESR Cayman Limited
ESR Funds Management (S) Limited
Frasers Commercial Asset Management Ltd
KKR & Co. Inc.
Keppel Corporation
Lendlease Global Commercial REIT
Northstar
Olam Group Limited
Sembcorp Industries
Singapore GP
Singapore Exchange Limited
YHT Venture Pte. Ltd.
Work highlights
- Acted for the offeror, CLA Real Estate Holdings Pte. Ltd. in connection with the S$21 billion restructuring of CapitaLand to demerge the investment management business and privatise the development arm.
- Represented KKR & Co. as shareholder of PropertyGuru in the US$1.8 billion merger with Bridgetown 2 Holdings, a SPAC backed by Richard Li and Peter Thiel.
- Acting for Olam Group Limited in the sale of an approximate 35.4% stake in Olam Agri Holdings Pte. Ltd. by Olam Holdings Pte. Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of OGL) to SALIC International Investment Company (a wholly owned subsidiary of The Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company for approximately US$1,240,000,000.
Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP
Particularly active on the cross-border front, Rajah & Tann Singapore LLP oversees a plethora of transactions relating to China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and South Asia, among other jurisdictions. The practice enjoys especially strong connections within the insurance, technology, healthcare, telecommunications, banking and real estate industries and is headed by Chia Kim Huat, a specialist in multijurisdictional M&A and joint ventures, private equity investments and capital markets affairs. Sandy Foo, who previously practiced in London, is one of the market’s foremost names for blockbuster deals meanwhile Lim Wee Hann is engaged by a number of biotech, health and pharmaceutical companies in respect of their cross-border divestments and acquisitions.
Practice head(s):
Chia Kim Huat; Sandy Foo; Evelyn Wee; Terence Quek; Tracy Ang
Other key lawyers:
Lim Wee Han
Testimonials
‘As I think about the many outstanding things that Rajah & Tann bring to the table such as their outstanding pool of talent, their willingness to go the extra mile for their clients, their outstanding value proposition, the 2 key differentiators for me are their one-stop solution given their strong South-East Asian network and dedication to achieving the best results for their clients, no matter how big or small your matter may be.’
‘Rajah & Tann is one of the leading law firms in the ASEAN region with an impressive geographical footprint. The corporate/M&A practice provides superb transactional support on the most complex matters, particularly in the life sciences & healthcare sector.’
‘Wee Hann Lim is an outstanding corporate/M&A lawyer who is an absolute pleasure to work with.’
‘Very hands on and commercial.’
‘Very competent. Well resourced and client comes first. Commercial advice.’
‘Sandy Foo. Commercially minded; great at pushing the deal forward. All round a great partner’
‘The team is extremely supportive in offering start-up friendly rates without compromising service and support.’
‘Terence Quek is excellent, offering a ready ear to bounce ideas with the client throughout a transaction at all hours of the day, offering insights and solutions. A true partner to the client to drive a deal to successful completion.’
Key clients
CITIC Limited
Hong Leong Group
Japfa Limited
Kuok Group
OUE Limited
Perennial Real Estate Holdings Limited
PSA Group
Salim Group conglomerate
Singapore Press Holdings
Temasek Holdings Limited
Work highlights
- Acted for Cuscaden Peak Pte. Ltd. on the acquisition for all the issued ordinary shares in the capital of Singapore Press Holdings Limited by way of a scheme of arrangement that values SPH at up to approximately S$3.9 billion, and is currently acting for Cuscaden on the proposed mandatory cash offer of all the issued and outstanding units in SPH REIT in accordance with the chain principle in Note 7 on Rule 14.1 of the Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers.
- Acted for Startree Investments Pte. Ltd., a substantial shareholder of Sembcorp Marine Ltd on the mandatory conditional general cash offer for all the issued and paid-up ordinary shares in the capital of Sembcorp Marine Ltd in accordance with Rule 14 of The Singapore Code on Take-overs and Mergers.
- Acting for DBS Trustee (in its capacity as trustee of MNACT) in the proposed merger of MCT and MNACT by way of an acquisition by MCT of all issued and paid-up units of MNACT held by unitholders by way of a trust scheme of arrangement. The acquisition is valued at approximately S$4.2bn.
TSMP Law Corporation
Lawyers of TSMP Law Corporation are acclaimed for their takeover, M&A and privatisation capabilities. Stefanie Yuen Thio serves as one of the go-to names in the market for headline transactions and IPOs; she co-heads the team alongside Jennifer Chia and June Ho.
Practice head(s):
Stefanie Yuen Thio; Jennifer Chia; June Ho
Key clients
Credit Suisse (Singapore) Limited
Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte.
Jurong Port
Gram Car Carriers group
Masan Group Corporation
mm2 Asia Ltd.
MH Carnegie & Co
DX Ventures GmbH
LOGOS Group
Gulf Asia-Pacific Pte. Ltd.
Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures Inc.
Work highlights
- Advising Credit Suisse (Singapore) Limited, sole financial adviser to Singapore Press Holdings Limited (“SPH”) in the proposed acquisition of SPH by Keppel Corporation Limited through its wholly-owned special purpose vehicle, Keppel Pegasus Pte. Ltd. (“Keppel”), by way of a scheme of arrangement.
- Advised Credit Suisse (Singapore) Limited, sole financial adviser to G. K. Goh Holdings Limited (“GKGH”) in relation to Apricus Global Pte. Ltd.’s (“Apricus”) voluntary conditional general offer for Boardroom Limited
- Advised Morgan Stanley Asia (Singapore) Pte., financial adviser to Startree Investments Pte. Ltd. (“Startree”), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited, in relation to its compliance offer for all shares of Sembcorp Marine Ltd (“Sembcorp”) that it does not already own.
Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow
Operating in close tandem with one of the largest global M&A practices, Baker McKenzie Wong & Leow is active across public M&A, private equity and venture capital deals in addition to corporate reorganisation endeavours such as carve-outs and post-merger integrations. Practice co-head Boo Bee Chun has overseen a number of transactions within the oil and gas, manufacturing, aviation and power sectors meanwhile Min-Tze Lean has recently been active on a number of merger, divestment, early-stage investment financing and voluntary delisting matters. Up-and-coming partner Xiao Hui Ting is also integral to the team, owing to her in-depth knowledge of the real estate, food and beverage, education and healthcare fields.
Practice head(s):
Andrew Martin; Bee Chun Boo
Other key lawyers:
Min-Tze Lean; Kenny Kwan; Xiao Hui Ting
Testimonials
‘Excellent.’
‘Probably the people. Interestingly the firm was represented by an all female team as part of the engagement. Bodes well for diversity.’
‘Responsiveness to the client’s requests and able to adapt to the change in strategy employed by the client halfway during the engagement.’
Key clients
Zuellig Pharma
Pan Ocean Co., Ltd.
Warburg Pincus
Evercore Asia (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
Zinfinity Pte. Ltd.
TTMFS Singapore Pte. Ltd.
Archer Daniels Midland
EDP Renováveis, S.A.
Keppel DC REIT
Lineage Logistics
Work highlights
- Acted for EDP Renováveis, S.A. on the acquisition of 91% stake in Sunseap Group (the largest solar distributor in Southeast Asia) for SGD1.1 billion.
- Advised Lineage Logistics, one of the world’s largest temperature-controlled industrial REIT and logistics solutions provider on its purchase of 100% of Pins Corporation which in turn owns the 100% share capital of Mandai Link Logistics.
- Represented Archer Daniels Midland in relation to the formation of a 50-50 joint venture with Asia Sustainable Foods Platform, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek, to provide technology development and precision fermentation for companies serving the growing consumer demand for a wide variety of bio-based products, including alternative protein, in Singapore and the wider Asia-Pacific region. This is a first of its kind joint venture in Singapore.
Bird & Bird ATMD LLP
Acting in collaboration with the firm’s international network, Bird & Bird ATMD LLP is particularly active on the cross-border front, handling a mixture of M&A, joint venture, takeover, LBO, privatisation and private equity transactions. Marcus Chow, qualified in Singapore and New York, leads the practice which is active in a wealth of different sectors such as aviation, energy, life science, healthcare, tech, media, sports, retail and banking. Counsel Jolie Giouw provides the group with significant corporate finance capabilities, including early-stage venture capital and private equity investments, IPOs and private placements.
Practice head(s):
Marcus Chow
Other key lawyers:
Sandra Seah; Jolie Giouw; Jonathan Kao
Testimonials
‘We have worked with a number of other law firms previously, and Bird and Bird stands out for their flexibility, response time, quality of advice and level of client service.’
They have been outstanding in their ability to cope and deal with matters that required unexpected urgency. We are more than happy to recommend the capabilities, quality, standard and services of the team.’
‘Marcus Chow and Jolie Giouw have been an invaluable resource to our firm as we navigate complex legal matters. They have provided clean, sound, practical and timely solutions, and we would highly recommend them to anyone.’
‘The team is dedicated and offers commercial solutions to complex problems that gets us the outcomes that we want.’
‘Jolie Giouw is our go to person at the firm. She instinctively knows what we are trying to achieve, value adds by refining our thinking and the speed and accuracy of her execution is breathtaking.’
‘The team understood the circumstances and our goals and objectives well. They were attentive to the nuances of the deal and we were able to rely on their advice to make better decisions.’
‘Marcus and Jolie Giouw are consultative and paid special attention to the details. It was especially encouraging when they would ask questions that showed that they wanted to gain a better understanding of our goals and positions in the deal – it showed that they were considering more than just the legalities.’
Key clients
KludeIn I Acquisition Corp
China National Biotech Group
CurrencyFair
Strides Transportation
90 Seconds Pte. Ltd.
Inmark SG Pte Ltd
Ingram Micro
Solenis
Treis
UOB
LYS Energy Solutions Pte Ltd
HeMo Bioengineering Pte. Ltd
EV Growth
DEG
Rackspace Technology
Vulcan Capital Singapore Management Pte. Ltd
Sun Tzu Tech Pte. Ltd
Hyphen Group
Laser Clinic
ACA Investments Pte. Ltd
MedSupply International Holdings Pte. Ltd
PPRO Holding GmbH
Blockchain.com
United Global Limited
JEP Holdings Ltd
Starburst Holdings Limited
ST Engineering Aerospace Resources (Ireland) Limited
Altair ASEAN Fund L.P.
Legend Logistics Limited
Work highlights
- Acted as Singapore counsel for Ingram Micro on the Singapore law aspects of the acquisition financing in a transaction that implies an enterprise value for Ingram of US$7.2 billion.
- Acting as Singapore, French and Australian counsel for KludeIn I Acquisition Corp. in its merger with Near Intelligence Holdings which will generate US$268 million in gross proceeds and peg Near at a Pro-forma market capitalisation of nearly US$1 billion.
- Acted as Singapore counsel for Solenis on the Singapore law aspects of the acquisition financing in a transaction that implies an enterprise value for Solenis of US$5.25 billion.
Dentons Rodyk
Dentons Rodyk forms part of a network present in over 80 countries globally and caters to a mixture of healthcare, technology, consumer product, financial institution and real estate players. The practice, which is closely aligned with the firm’s Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar offices, is co-headed by Eng Leng Ng and Marian Ho; the former is private and public takeover, privatisation, M&A and joint venture expert while the latter hones her focus on corporate finance, M&A and private equity affairs.
Practice head(s):
S Sivanesan; Eng Leng Ng; Marian Ho
Other key lawyers:
Li Chuan Hsu; Sunil Rai; Valmiki Nair
Key clients
WEBTOON Entertainment Inc
Mobile TeleSystems Public Joint Stock Company
SK Global Entertainment, Inc.
Qanvast
Ripple Labs Inc.
Frasers Property Limited
Keppel Corporation Limited
Confidential client
SeaTown Private Capital Master Fund, Pavilion Capital Fund Holdings Pte. Ltd. and EDB Investments Pte Ltd
Think & Learn Private Limited
Educrest Sdn Bhd
Maersk Tankers A/S
Validus Investment Holdings Pte Ltd
DB&B Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised on the Singapore law aspects of the this transaction where India’s digital learning pioneer Byju’s acquired professional training and higher education platform Great Learning for US$600 million, accelerating an acquisition spree to expand globally.
- Acting for Agathese Pte. Ltd. (as vendor) and Keppel Land (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (as covenantor) (both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Keppel Corporation Limited), in the divestment of 100% stake in the entity which holds Keppel Bay Tower to the Singapore Exchange-listed Keppel REIT, based on an agreed property value of S$657.2 million.
- Acting for FPL in divesting its entire stake in Beijing Fraser Suites Real Estate Management for a consideration of RMB1.605 billion by advising on structure, organising dataroom for due diligence, drafting term sheets, coordinating with BVI counsel, and subsequently Chinese counsel.
Drew & Napier LLC
Drew & Napier LLC is active across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, leverages the Drew Network Asia network to support on a broad spectrum of domestic and cross-border transactions. Steven Lo heads the practice and is well-versed in both private and public M&A, as is director Tan Teng Sen who also counts privitisations, joint ventures and strategic alliances among his core strengths. The team is likewise home to Seraphina Ho , an expert in respect of private equity and venture capital investments, joint ventures and restructurings, and is proficient in the healthcare, info-comm, F&B, real estate, telco, media and energy sectors, among others.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Commercially-minded, responsive and sensitive to client’s needs both in terms of meeting timelines, deliverables and final billing amount.’
‘We worked with Teng Sen Tan who delivered well despite the tight timeline and at a reasonable price. We had previously approached other firms on this same piece of work but they felt the timeline was too tight or quoted very high fees for the urgent work.’
‘The team is collaborative and makes legal issues easy to understand. They distill key matters well for the client. Always responsive to our calls.’
‘Partners Mr Steven Lo and Mr Tan Teng Sen. Both of them are attentive and have the ability to understand client concerns. They are also able to clearly articulate legal issues and suggest workable solutions.’
‘The team is extremely cohesive and works seamlessly to provide the most strategic and tactical legal advice from senior members of the team which then translates into effective execution of the relevant legal documents and processes on the part of the junior team members. Besides their strong capabilities, they are extremely client focused and are constantly thinking out of the box in the advancement of client’s interests.’
‘Steven Lo is a veteran practitioner who has a broad spectrum of knowledge, insights and experiences which can then be applied to complex situations. He is of irreproachable moral character even has he pushes hard for his client’s interests.
‘Tan Teng Sen is a brilliant legal practitioner who cares deeply for his clients, exhibits the highest level of ethics and never fails to go the extra mile in advancement of client’s interests.’
Key clients
Evercore Asia (Singapore) Pte. Ltd
EQT Infrastructure
SK ecoplant Co., Ltd
Tuan Sing Holdings Limited
Banpu PCL
Temasek Holdings
Metro Holdings
Heliconia Capital Management (wholly owned by Temasek)
Penguin International Limited
TIHT Investment Holdings Pte Ltd (joint venture of TIH Limited and Temasek)
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co., Ltd
Square Peg Capital Pty Ltd and SEEK Growth Nominees Pty Ltd
Union Steel Holdings Limited
Manhattan Resources Limited
StarHub Ltd
TE Asia Healthcare Partners Pte. Ltd
United Power of Asia Public Company Limited
Easybook.com Pte. Ltd.
Kaizen Private Equity II Pte. Ltd.
Oak View Group LLC
STAR Capital Partnership LLP
RHB Investment Bank Berhad
Wongnai Media Co., Ltd.
Tricor Services Limited
FWD Group
COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) Co., Ltd.
TIH Limited
Hanns Ventures Pte Ltd, Insas Technology Berhad, SBI Islamic Fund II (Brunei) Limited
Arunasalam Jeyakumar
Sheares Healthcare Group
Work highlights
- Acted for Evercore Asia (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., the independent financial adviser to the independent directors of Capitaland Limited, in relation to the strategic restructuring and demerger of the investment management business of Capitaland Limited by way of a scheme of arrangement.
- Acted as Singapore counsel to SK ecoplant Co., Ltd. (“SK”) in its acquisition of 100% of the issued share capital of TES-Envirocorp Pte. Ltd. at an enterprise value of US$1 billion. The acquisition is understood to be a milestone to assist SK to lead the fast growing global e-waste market and is expected to close in Q2 2022.
- Acted on the acquisition of ICON Group by EQT Infrastructure. ICON Group is Australia’s largest vertically integrated cancer care provider with operations in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China.
Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC
Morgan Lewis Stamford LLC caters to the full spectrum of transactional participants including sellers, buyers, investors, investment and commercial banks, private equity firms and venture capital firms, among others. Bernard Lui serves as practice head and is routinely engaged on M&A, IPO, corporate governance and corporate finance matters; he is supported by Wai Ming Yap , a cross-border transaction specialist with close ties to the Malaysian market, as well as Vanessa Ng, an authority on M&A activities in China. At associate level, Chrystle Kuek is highly rated among clients and provides the group with equity and debt capital markets knowhow. Other strands of activity include restructurings, joint ventures, LBOs, spin-offs and joint ventures.
Practice head(s):
Bernard Lui
Other key lawyers:
Joo Khin Ng; Wai Ming Yap; Vanessa Ng; Chrystle Kuek
Testimonials
‘The team established a preferred communications protocol where the preferences for mode of communication was set out from the start of the engagement. This was set from the first kick-off meeting with the Morgan Lewis team and it was flexible for my team to reach out to the Morgan Lewis team, whilst ensuring that everyone was kept up-to-date.’
‘The group provided concise and clear advice to the Board and management of the company. The Morgan Lewis team has demonstrated their technical know-how throughout the engagement and provided timely advice to the Board and management. Their advice was communicated in a simple and easily understandable way. In addition, the Morgan Lewis team did a very comprehensive briefing to the Board at the start of the engagement and set the tone for entire corporate exercise.’
‘The lawyers were responsive and a great client experience. The Morgan Lewis team was very responsive throughout the engagement despite their busy schedule. It was a pleasure to communicate with them as they always gave us the human touch in their communication and it felt great after every discussion with them.’
Key clients
Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. Ltd.
China Mining International Limited
GSS Energy Limited
Envictus International Holdings Limited
Union Gas Holdings Limited
Glass Egg Digital Media
Sinopipe Holdings Ltd
Ten-League Engineering & Technology Pte Ltd
Kimly Limited
Grand Venture Technology Limited
Kian Ann Engineering Pte Ltd and Invicta Asian Holdings Pte Ltd
Polaris Ltd.
Totm Technologies Limited
Work highlights
- Represented China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. Ltd. (Huayou) as Singapore counsel in the proposed acquisition of the Arcadia hard-rock lithium mine in Zimbabwe for a total consideration of US$422 million.
- Representing Sinopipe Holdings Ltd in the proposed reverse takeover of Ten-League Engineering & Technology Pte Ltd (including its Engineering Solutions Business).
- Advising Kimly Limited on its S$54 million acquisition of the businesses of the Tenderfresh Group, comprising central kitchens, restaurants/kiosks and food stalls.
Shook Lin & Bok LLP
At Shook Lin & Bok LLP, the team hosts considerable knowledge of takeover and hostile bids, partial offers, mergers, tender offers and buyouts, among other deal types. David Chong , a lawyer with specialist knowledge of the communications, media, technology, energy and natural resources sectors, fronts the practice; his team is geared to act for multinational corporates and private equity players alike and is also distinctly experienced in representing bulge bracket investment banks.
Practice head(s):
David Chong
Other key lawyers:
Ho Ying Ming; Dayne Ho; Teo Mae Shaan; Chua Shi Ying
Testimonials
‘Heritage firm with excellent expertise and commercial nous.’
‘Dayne Ho: negotiator par excellence with an eye always on the broader commercial objectives.’
Key clients
Advance Intelligence Group / Atome Financial
Dymon Asia Private Equity
WPP Group
Eqonex
Tesla
M1 Telecommunications
Pathology Asia Holdings
Xiaomi
Morgan Stanley
DBS
Work highlights
- Acting for Advance Intelligence Group / Atome Financial in a commercial partnership between Standard Chartered Bank (“SCB”) and convertible debt investment by SCB into Atome Financial.
- Acted for Medlab Asset Management Pte Ltd in its sale of shares in Pathology Asia Holdings Pte Ltd, a fully integrated healthcare organisation headquartered in Singapore. PAH’s laboratories includes Innoquest, one of the largest diagnostic service providers in Singapore, and other leading laboratories in Malaysia and Australia.
- Advised SES Holdings, Electric-vehicle battery maker, on its agreement to combine with Ivanhoe Capital Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), which resulted in SES becoming a public traded company on Nasdaq. The transaction values the combined company at a pro forma implied equity value of approximately $3.6 billion.
CNPLaw LLP
At CNPLaw LLP, the team is active across Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia, receiving engagement on M&A and divestment transactions in addition to more general corporate and commercial affairs. The practice caters to public and private clients alike, including a number of Chinese entities, and is headed by Lisa Theng , a lawyer with an intimate knowledge of the entertainment, healthcare, oil and gas, engineering, food and beverage, publishing and leisure industries.
Practice head(s):
Lisa Theng
Other key lawyers:
Ken Chia; Bill Jamieson
Testimonials
‘CNPLaw LLP’s team is capable, prompt in their response and efficient in carrying out their duties.’
‘Lisa Theng is knowledgeable, kind and helpful in advising her clients holistically. I worked with the lawyers in her corporate team such as Ken Chia and Kenn Lim and Venetia Tan and find all to be professional and customer centric.’
‘Very collaborative. listens attentively before jumping in.’
‘Lisa Theng – listens well. Very pro business practical proposals (instead of textbook answers).’
‘Commercial savviness, can-do attitude, and excellent problem solving skills.’
‘Always makes time when advice is needed. Delivers robust solutions to complex problems very quickly. Understands commercial underpinnings of problems and offers alternative solutions besides the obvious ones.’
Key clients
Creadev International SAS
Julian Theng Thiam Siew, Lee Ai Ling, Lim Wee Kiak, Eagle Eye Centre Pte. Ltd.
D.A. Consortium Inc.
Stonevault Capital Pte. Ltd.
CITIC Telecom International (SEA) Pte Ltd and Pacific Internet (S) Pte Ltd
TDR Capital LLP
Singapore O&G Ltd.
Work highlights
Pinsent Masons MPillay
Though active in an array of industries, Pinsent Masons MPillay is distinguished through its prowess in high-end MedTech and FinTech M&A. Nicholas Hanna serves as the firm’s head for APAC, overseeing a closely integrated team across Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Australia. Mark Tan co-heads the local practice alongside Hanna and is particularly well-regarded for both inbound and outbound deals into the Asian market. Other key sectors include social media, oil and gas, financial services, aviation, financial services and mining.
Practice head(s):
Nicholas Hanna; Mark Tan
Testimonials
‘International mindset in a local setting. This allows them to give us unique insights on how to structure certain deals which are not the norm in Singapore.’
‘Mark Tan is honest, genuine and very hard working. Always ready to help and delivers top notch advice.’
Key clients
AB Dynamics plc
Hoya Corporation
Mace Group
INEX Innovate Pte. Ltd.
Eezee Pte. Ltd.
Float Foods Pte. Ltd.
CloudSEK Research Pte. Ltd.
Online Education Services Pty Ltd
British Petroleum
Work highlights
- Advised AB Dynamics Plc, a company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange on its acquisition of the Vadotech Group for $26 million Euros.
- Advised Mace Group Limited, a leading international consultancy group operating in the infrastructure and property sector in relation to its US$25 million investment into, and formation of a partnership with the Tenman Group, a market leader in the management of mega, mixed-use hospitality, entertainment and gaming projects in Asia.
- Advised Eezee Pte Ltd, a Singapore based start-up which built and operates an online marketplace for businesses to compare suppliers and order products online in relation to its Pre-Series A fundraising round for an undisclosed amount.
Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC
Quahe Woo & Palmer LLC, a firm with offices in both Hong Kong and Singapore, is active across the oil and gas, data centre, real estate, industrials, renewable energy, IT, FinTech, food and healthcare sectors, among others. Practice head Kenneth Leong is adept in a broad spectrum of transactions, including M&A, private equity-led privatisations, strategic joint ventures and vendor auction sale processes. The firm is also a member of ASEAN and frequently supports on multijurisdictional business activities and investments within the APAC region.
Practice head(s):
Kenneth Leong
Other key lawyers:
Lee Wei-Jin; Tay Liam Kheng; Lau Kiat Wee
Testimonials
‘Tight-knit team. Efficient and responsive. Able to appreciate commercial considerations and provide sound advice on mitigation of risks.’
‘Kenneth Leong: Intelligent partner and has exceptional ability to manage clients and the counterparties. Can be counted on to get the deal across the finishing line.’
‘The partner we worked with not only had good communication, but also had good knowledge of the industry and provided excellent and out of box advise to support our business goal.’
‘I have been working with the Quahe Woo & Palmer team for over 7 years and they never disappoint. I find them to be one of the few firms, perhaps even the only firm, that provides legal advice taking into account the commercial intentions of the client. Relative to most firms of a similar caliber, they are also a better value-for-money option.’
‘Kenneth Leong from Quahe, Woo & Palmer has supported me on various projects and I can say without reservation that he is one of the most capable, sharp and astute lawyers I have worked with. Period.’
‘I have worked with Mr. Lau Kiat Wee on a number of occasions and look forward to further opportunities to work with him. His knowledge and experience allows him to provide valuable guidance and support to facilitate the transaction at hand and this is greatly appreciated.’
‘The team is well versed with the areas of practice which they are into. They have been able to support all legal advice sought on one entire M&A from the initial discussion to completion. The team is always making themselves available despite busy schedule or weekend to ensure that interest of client is protected.’
‘Kenneth (partner) – he has been outstanding in advising us to complete the M&A and he is able to think commercially and legally to ensure successful completion of the M&A. Harold (associate) – he has been the key associate in the M&A and rendering his full support to Kenneth. He was able to advise on company secretarial matters when closing the M&A systematically.’
Key clients
Seraya Partners
Empyrion DC Pte. Ltd.
Phoon Huat Group
Astaka Holdings Limited
Interconnected Systems Group Holdings Pte. Ltd.
LOGOS Group
Olympus Corporation
Tenggara Capital Partners Sdn Bhd
Work highlights
- Advised Empyrion DC on its acquisition of the entire share capital of Dodid Pte. Ltd., which owns and operates a hyper-scale Tier III certified data center with 12.5MW of capacity intended to be run on renewable energy.
- Advised Olympus Corporation, a company head-quartered in Japan and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, as Singapore counsel in relation to the separation of its Scientific Solutions business to a wholly-owned subsidiary, Evident Corporation.
- Advising Astaka Holdings Limited (listed on the Catalist Board of SGX) in its sale of commercial and residential mixed-use land to Seaview Holdings Sdn Bhd, as an interested person transaction and major transaction under the Catalist Rules.
Resource Law LLC
Resource Law LLC operates in alliance with Reed Smith’s Singapore office, a relationship which gives the former access to the latter’s extensive international network. The practice is particularly accomplished within the media, technology, power, commodities and natural resources sectors and is home to Johnny Lim, an expert in cross-border M&A, joint ventures, private equity, corporate governance, regulatory and venture capital mandates; he serves as practice co-head alongside Kohe Hasan, a lawyer with particularly strong connections to the Indonesian, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Sri Lankan markets.
Practice head(s):
Johnny Lim; Kohe Hasan
Testimonials
‘Client care is crucial. The team is attentive to client’s needs, able to provide practical solutions and give sufficient guidance for client’s follow up.
Withers KhattarWong LLP
Withers KhattarWong LLP is integrated with the wider Withersworldwide network, rendering it an ideal for both domestic and cross-border affairs. The team undertakes an array of M&A, buyout, takeover, joint venture, corporate governance and commercial deal mandates and is especially acclaimed for its activities within the private capital field. Practice head Daniel Yong caters to corporates, private fund managers, sovereign wealth funds and family offices, often acting on multijurisdictional investment mandates in India and China, among other APAC jurisdictions.
Practice head(s):
Daniel Yong
Other key lawyers:
Joel Shen; Erlene Tan
Testimonials
‘Erlene Tan and the team have assisted us in drafting numerous agreements for investments. Erlene is always very clear in understanding our needs and never fails to ensure that the agreements reflect so. Erlene and the team are always very responsive, be it on emails or texts and never fail to turn around the agreements, even when there is limited time. We value and treasure this very much’
‘Erlene Tan is spot on, commercial sensible and a great negotiator in joint ventures.’
‘The leading counsel Daniel Yong, while has deep technical knowledge in law, is pragmatic in his approach and listen to his client’s need. The team as a whole work cohesively and respond to promptly which is critical to M&A transaction.’
‘The leading counsel Daniel Yong, while has deep technical knowledge in law, is pragmatic in his approach and listen to his client’s need. The team as a whole work cohesively and is down to earth. They listen and assess client’s position and provide relevant advice.’
Key clients
Cashel Compliance BidCo Limited / Cashel Compliance TopCo Limited
Altara Ventures
EverSource Capital
Altrui Investment Management
Vickers Ventures Partners
Binance
Kejora Capital
Southeast Asian neobank Honest
A consortium of Indonesian conglomerates led by Telkom Indonesia
Ant Group (Alipay)
Wallex Technologies
EDB New Ventures
BearLogi
Levanta Renewables Private Limited
Work highlights
- Acted for Altara Ventures in closing fundraising rounds in two Southeast Asian technology startups.
- Acted as transaction counsel for Altrui in its investment, alongside TPG-backed TE Asia Healthcare Partners, in a joint venture to construct and operate healthcare facilities in Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Acted as Singapore counsel to EverSource Capital in the CDC Group’s USD 70 million investment into the Green Growth Equity Fund, India’s first dedicated climate change fund.
Eng and Co. LLC
Eng and Co. LLC, a PwC Legal member firm, is adept in share and asset transactions, reorganisations, mergers, joint ventures and LBOs, in addition to venture capital and private equity investments. The offering is spearheaded by founding partner Rachel Eng, a lawyer with close to 30 years of experience in this space.
Practice head(s):
Rachel Eng
Testimonials
‘Dedicated team with strong work ethics. Always overdelivering and going out of the way during the different engagements that we have had.’
‘Rachel eng is an incredible leader, building the team from scratch and mentoring the next generation of lawyers.’
Key clients
Accredify Pte. Ltd
Alliance Healthcare Group Limited
Mr. Zhang Zhencheng (shareholder of Dasin Retail Trust Management Pte. Ltd., the trustee manager of a business trust listed on the SGX-ST)
Proxtera Pte Ltd
TSLC Pte Ltd
Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Prerna Jhunjhunwala
B H S Kinetic Pte. Ltd.
Argus Global Pte. Ltd.
CavAsia Pte. Ltd.
Wilson Parking
Alliance Healthcare Pte. Ltd.
RHTLaw Asia LLP
At RHTLaw Asia LLP, the team demonstrates a tenacity for M&A, private equity, securities transaction, IPO and restructuring affairs. Erwan Barre has overseen c.100 corporate transactions throughout his career, predominantly operating within the life science, media and telecommunications fields; he co-heads the department alongside Yang EU Jin, a corporate finance and capital markets expert. The practice is associated with the ASEAN Plus Group, a regional law firm network active in 16 Asian markets, and is often involved in matters relating to the PRC.
Practice head(s):
Yang Eu Jin; Erwan Barre
Testimonials
‘People of the team. Capability to provide relevant solutions to problems faced.’
‘Yang Eu Jin has been excellent in providing recommendations and advice to specific topics which we needed.’
‘Meticulous, good in advancing client’s case and interests. Good negotiators.’
Key clients
Geopost
Obvio B (May 2021)
Singapore Post Limited
Automobile Association of Singapore
Global Schools Foundation
Transphorm
Pin Corporation Private Ltd
Generix Lisboa
Matex International Ltd
Global Schools Foundation
Work highlights
- Represented DPDgroup-Geopost in connection with its lead investment in the US$ 578 million Series E fundraising round of Ninja Van.
- Advised Obvio Health Pte. Ltd. on their global strategic partnerships with Dedalus Italia S.p.A. and Novotech Health Holdings.
- Represented AAS Investment Holdings Pte. Ltd., the investment arm of The Automobile Association of Singapore, in connection with the acquisition of (i) BCC Automotive Pte. Ltd. and (ii) Four Wheels Auto Pte. Ltd. by AAS Investment Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Virtus Law LLP
Virtus Law LLP advises on M&A, joint venture and corporate restructuring mandates, with demonstrable experience across the maritime, healthcare and telecommunications sectors. The firm operates in formal alliance with Stephenson Harwood, allowing it to serve as a one-stop shop for matters of both local and international magnitude. Key contacts in the group include Parikhit Sarma, Sheetal Sandhu and Jason Yang, while Elaine Beh left the firm in August 2022.
Other key lawyers:
Parikhit Sarma; Sheetal Sandhu; Jason Yang
Testimonials
‘Virtus Law has been my first port of call for Singapore related M&As and other types of cross border corporate transactional work for many years. I like the hands-on experience I get from their corporate partners. Virtus Law has been very good at taking care of my Malaysian listed clients as they plan their regional expansion – my clients get very good top tier law firm quality work at very reasonable fees.’
‘Practical, timely, efficient and comprehensive input into all our deals. Strong industry knowledge in the marketing, communications, digital and related technology sectors.’
‘Sheetal Sandhu consistently features in many of the deals both acting for us or similar transactions run by other competitor firms for the reasons above (availability, industry knowledge, practicality and humility in engagement with all parties’
Key clients
BW Group
China Navigation Company Pte. Ltd. and Swire Bulk Holdings Pte. Ltd.
Carro
VCPlus Limited
ICA Partners
M.Y.R.A. Entertainment Asia
Total Eren
LOGOS
Ocean Technologies Group
Dental Innovation Investment A BV
TSA Group
PropNex Limited
Dr Ong Siew Hwa
Metal Component Engineering Limited
Dr Ng Chin Siau
Sen Yue Holdings Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Carro on its series C1 fundraising led by state-backed institutional investors.
- Advising SGX-Catalist listed VCPlus Limited in its custody white label license and services agreement with HydraX to license the Hydra X’s digital asset custody technology solution for digital asset tokens and associated services.
- Advising M.Y.R.A. Entertainment Asia, a film production and financing company, on its incorporation and launch in Singapore.